Functional analysis of a methyl-CpG binding protein CIBZ in the regulation of cardiogenesis

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460368
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Matsuda Eishou 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, バイオサイエンス研究科, 助教 (00335481)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ES細胞 / 細胞分化 / 心筋細胞 / CIBZ（ZBTB38） / Brachyury（T） / Mesp1 / 転写抑制 / 中胚葉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The transcription factors T and Mesp1 play key roles in guiding embryonic stem cells (ESCs) toward mesodermal and cardiac lineages, respectively. Although a growing body of evidence indicates that T and Mesp1 regulate downstream target genes, the molecular mechanisms behind maintenance of their silencing state in the undifferentiated ESCs remain poorly understood.
Here we show that CIBZ, a BTB domain zinc finger transcriptional factor, is a novel negative regulator of mesodermal and cardiac differentiation of ESCs. We also show the direct inhibitory binding of CIBZ to T and Mesp1 promoters. These data provide new insights into the role of CIBZ in the regulation of cardiac specification of ESCs and show that CIBZ is critical for maintaining the silenced state of T and Mesp1 in ESCs.

Free Research Field

分子生物学